THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290637
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HERTFORD LENGTH: 31 lines
Isaac A. ``Ike'' Battle, a retired educator and community leader, has been unanimously elected chairman of the Albemarle Commission at the annual meeting of the organization's board of delegates.
Battle is a recognized Democratic political leader who has served on many state governmental organizations. Most recently he was named by Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. to a four-year term on the Employment Security Commission.
Battle takes over leadership of the commission, which has been troubled in recent years by financial problems, at a time when a new executive director, Thomas A. Gard, also is joining the panel.
The new chairman has spent most of his life as an educator dedicated to the cause of improving minority education. He served two terms on the board of trustees of Elizabeth City State University and was chairman of the 1st Congressional District Democratic Party.
He received his master's degree in education at Pennsylvania State University.
Battle received his bachelor's degree from Elizabeth City State University, an institution that has repeatedly honored him for his contributions to education. He also attended East Carolina University and North Carolina Central University.
Battle was assistant superintendent of the Hertford County school system when he retired in 1983.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE